Drugs and Gangs Among Detroit Teens

Street Drug Trade Is One of the Most Important Social Institutions for Young People in Detroit

From his perspective, Bergmann writes that the street drug is one of the most important social institutions for young people in Detroit. As an institution, the drug dealings and everything surrounding it are becoming a transforming force taking people in a certain way of life and perception. Detroit is known to be a major region of the drug trade, including heroin. Like any other society, it suffers consequences of this in many ways, including the economic, cultural, social, and even psychological repercussions arising from the presence of the drug. Drugs are commonly effective and, in some way, change the way people behave, live, and interact. This is seen from his submission that "drug dealing governed the seasonal cycles of their lives and taught them about the nature and power of the state, capitalism and family." (p.13). As for Detroit, unlike many other cities, there is extensive drug trade among the people; this made Bergmann consider it as a social institution for the young people (Bergmann, 2010).

Bergmann is categorical of the lives of Rodney Phelps and Dude Freeman, who are engaged in drugs from a very tender age, grows with it, sails through its challenges and repercussions, and know can relay the story, with them not being the only examples but also those related to them. Rodney and Freeman are born into a society of drug abuse and trafficking. They are raised in this kind of life. They learn everything in this city, apparently called the chocolate city, but with nothing to see as a chocolate other than a rough violent and drug-filled society. In their family, Dude and Rodney are begin drug dealing at a young age, and grow with the same stories all the way to their old age. The drugs, in one way of another, have shaped everything they have done and engaged in life. This is evident when he writes, "It's just a street. It's just a sign at the end of a pole. It's been there for over a hundred years and never did nothing to anybody" (p.282)

Dude's story begins with drugs while he is only sixteen. This is during his time of incarceration after conceding charges of concealed weapon within a juvenile facility. This follows from his release to the next trial, which happens a few years later after he accidentally shot a neighborhood fixture called Walker. Bergmann (2010) writes, "Dude shook his head inn acknowledgement and measurement of the gravity of his circumstances and the story he was telling. 'the bullet went right through the floor... it hit Walker right in the top of his head. Come out of his chin'" (p.143). In contrast, Rodney's story starts at this particular facility where he is acquitted and later released only up to the next time he finds himself in a corner he once plied the trade of dealing drugs, trying to construct a meaningful life.

These two young men have similar stories, all shaped and configured by their social participation in drugs. It seems like participating in drugs is a way of life in this society. No one is in dire strength and intention to stop the young people from becoming disillusioned into the habit of drugs. It seems like drug dealing is a hobby and a business that brings livelihood to all the homes. Only a few people are responsible enough to shun drugs and try other ways of making a livelihood for them and their families. All the young people have been taken into drugs from where they strive to make a living. Perhaps, this explains the widespread violence and crime making most of the young people to be at home dealing drugs or waiting to be arrested and taken to the juvenile correctional facilities for various crimes all related to drug dealings.

The friend and relatives of these two young boys almost have the same stories for their lives and the lives of other close friends and relatives. These relative detail some of the key aspects of the attitudes and contradictions of living in Detroit's inner city. In this city, almost everything has been designed to take the course of drug behavior and activities, notably propagated into the lives of the young people. The young people have been made to design ways and means of making drug-dealing part of their complete lives. For instance, the city has been differentiated regarding the "spots" and "houses." Spots are the places where drug dealings take place while houses are places where people live (Bergmann, 2010, p.261).

Drug deals are done and accomplished at the spots. Drugs are not found at home neither is the dealings done in the houses. It has almost become an institution where different departments deal with specific tasks, but for a common purpose. The purpose of drug dealing here is the caused by the poor states of living albeit financial struggles. Thus, the young people are trying to make ends meet by seeing drug dealing as the probable and successful venture they can ever get. It has become like an institution that people attend with the intention of seeing a better and improved future some days to come.

Most of the places where drug dealings are done are located and marked specificity for this purpose. They should never be places where people live. This makes it easy for those involved to have their humble time dealing with drugs, be it while consuming them are trading them. As the mother to Dude, Ruby has tried her best to keep away drugs from her home. Nonetheless, she has not managed to stop the son from dealing in drugs. She deals in genuine medical drugs as a way of trying to make a living. She refuses to give into the selling of illegal narcotics in her house. Even though the son is dealing drugs, she refuses it be part of it. This is contrary to the son who sees this business as worthy to access a living. This is just an example of a family that is struggling to stay away from something that is already taken root in the city. Rudy is aware of the dangers of dealing with illegal narcotics.

Many families are in this state of life. They are forced to accept what has become something like a universal happening in the society. The families are composed of members, some of which are dealing with the drugs while others are against them. Thus, as much as one would try to stay away from drugs, he or she will also work hard to ensure life is better without drugs. The families have been challenged to accept this as there seems to be nothing that can be done. Those dealing with drugs are the younger generation. It is even worrying how their futures will be, together with that of their children, as they have replaced schooling and education with drug dealing all day all their lives.

The number of charges against those dealing in drugs is scaring no one. It has become routine as some are convicted and after being released get into the "spot" to try to live a better life, only to be got again with the wrong charges. Those who succeed in eh trade have a better life. They change completely regarding social status and financial capabilities. They access a transformed life although many of them will still be dealing with drugs on a better scale and strategies other than the normal ones used in Detroit. A few will be lucky to get to the success point-of-view, and even be in control of the rest of the businesses. This is why life is taking around drug dealing as those who have not managed to succeed in the game are forced to try hard without defecting. Leaving the business is a disaster, as there seems to be no other feasible option of making a living in this city (Bergmann, 2010, p.20). Thus, the young people have to learn the trade right from the time they are young. They have to be engaged in all ways possible and make a living for them and their families in the future. It has become like an educational investment that is done now with a possibility of accessing a credible future.

Some risks associated are with this business just as they are evident on the streets of Detroit. The rate of convictions because of drug dealings and involvement in other gang activities is high in this city. As much as people are being lured to these illegal acts, they have limited control over them. It has always appeared to be within their reach, and they will always use them thereby earning them a conviction. Other related behaviors and attitudes that bring about further destruction of the ethical fabric of life are drug-related and gang-oriented activities like shootings, killings, conflicts, among others.

It has become a usual thing to experience these behaviors and occurrences from among people. Many young people lose their lives and their dreams pursuing what they think will change their lives but end in prison or even disillusioned lives in the city. Thus, the destructive features brought about by this act are multifaceted. Life is a challenge to live in this city. As much as gang activities will always try to take over locations for their actions and drugs are out there with promising futures, but with deadly eventual living, life will always be at risk. In fact, living in Detroit in itself is a big risk to take for those who are new to the city.

In this city, those who are powerful are beyond reach by those who have no power. Those with financial capabilities engage in exploiting even more from those who have not. Those who do not have work for those who have and will always remain at this level, not unless they engage in some gang activities and succeed, which never happens, or engage in drug dealings, which always takes them to more desperate living or prison (Bergmann, 2010, p.3). Those who have wealth control those who do not have. Normally, the well-off individuals have more power regarding access to educational and business opportunities; they will always be better. In contrast, those with neither power, not wealth languish in poverty and will hardly be educated resulting in the used of drug dealings and gang activities as consolations.

The existence of consumers means that organized cartels of suppliers exist in the streets of Detroit. Sometimes, acting as an intermediary and as a consumer may become a lucrative opportunity. Normally, dealing with small businesses is equally same as dealing in drugs. Those who have very little lives can only manage to handle small businesses. Those who succeed in drug dealing can open such businesses. The owners of the small businesses also struggle to expand their businesses, as they will never attain the level of bigger businesses and corporations not unless they engage in other business dealings. Those who own businesses like real estate have the capacity to expand their businesses using dealings and other activities as some are involved in the same. Those in institutions and the government are not bothered by the dealings as they have something to make the ends of their lives meet.

The attitudes of most of those who deal in drugs towards these drugs and even gang activities are quite extraordinary. Dude and Rodney have held that gangs are just but juvenile enterprises that try to provide for the young people (Bergmann, 2010, p.295). They believe that these gangs attract those who are foolish and young. Nonetheless, they are not afraid to engage with them. At least, they participate in dealings because they see this as a better option unlike being a gang full of a foolish and dangerous life. They see being a dealer is worth more in terms finances than being a gangster; they access financial incentives and status by rising through the different ranks in their dealings.

Many of those who have been interviewed are optimistic for a better life in their futures. They believe they will make it if they engage appropriate decisions and actions in their lives. They believe they will manage to be lawyers or architects, but this will happen only if they manage to break out of the inner-city life. They look towards a better and prosperous future outside drugs and gangster activities. Nonetheless, they are forced into drug dealings and even gangster activities as they seek to raise financials for their higher education aiming that someday, they will manage to "get ghost" while engaging in a normal life. Life is a bit hard for them right now, but with every effort, they can make it in life.

In conclusion, life in the Detroit city is rather different, as it has been influenced, in its whole, by the influence of drugs and gangster activities. Living in this city requires one to be aware of these activities as they are risky in nature. From the perception that Bergmann postulated, the street drug trade is one of the most important social institutions for young people in Detroit. This means that everything in this city is guided by the need to engage and make life better, just as schooling would be done in any normal society (Bergmann, 2010, p.303). He advocates that everything and every struggle has taken the people to engage in drug dealing as a means to the end, with the younger generation born into it and trained to become professionals in this field as education would.

Reference

Bergmann, L. (2010). Getting Ghost: Two Young Lives and the Struggle for the Soul of an American City. Ann Arbor, Mich: University Of Michigan Press. From https://books.google.com/books?id=rt-S8Xe1S_wC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false